something must be missing.. usb adapter/laptop

Hello all. I'm sure this is just a simple something.. but I can't seem to figure it out. I know someone here will be able to point me in the right direction.

First attempt at my own network (have helped set one up before, but not with my own equipment).

Computer A: old home brew desktop, win98se, 433 celeron, 192 ram, intel board, newly installed linksys nic card.

Computer B: old ibm 1400i laptop, win98se, processor 400ish (will post real speed if applicable), 96 ram, Hawking USB network adapter * that I know works becase I just removed it from comp A when I installed the nic *. I recently acquired comp B, and did what all good girls do; format /u and a clean install of w98se. I'm now thinking something is missing, but can't figure out what.

Sprint DSL via sprint 645 modem.
Linksys switch.

For all intents and purposes, comp A simply has the Linksys NIC, and that's all it cares about. Everything works fine there. All of the 'real' settings are in the Sprint DSL modem that it is connected to.

When I hooked comp B up to the DSL modem via the USB adapter, it did nothing. Dead in the water. It goes without saying that it did not work when ran through the switch..

USB works for zip drive. I installed an Intel camera (USB) today just to see if it would work... it did. The only thing I can't get to work is the network adapter.

Through surfing some of the boards, I have come to the conclusion that the thing simply isn't communicating with the outside world. Winipcfg gives me an address of 169.x.x.x.

I've tried removing everything in the network settings (tcp/ip, adapters, clients) and reinstalling after a reboot... to no avail.

I love computers... but as the old song goes.. Love Stinks!

TIA
Carol

 

USB networking can be frustrating. Sometimes and for reasons that aren't real clear, it just doesn't work.

Try putting the NIC into the PC rather than using the USB and see if it works then. If so, I'd suggest getting another regular ethernet network card.

 

Thanks for the reply. The desktop has a nic. The laptop is where I was trying to use the usb adapter I had on hand so that I didn't have to buy a card. Guess I'll start shopping.

Thanks again
Carol

 

snow - some folks on some machines have great luck with USB networking. But if it has problems, they are nearly impossible to diagnose and fix.

I do networking as part of my job and have done it for some years now. I have an absolute rule for myself. I WILL NOT use, recommend, or support USB networking. Maybe just lazyness on my part but it has certainly made life and support lots easier.

USB is wonderful for lots of things and on later OS versions. But networking is IMO just not one of those things. And USB with 98 is even more questionable since it was an afterthought for that OS.